Statement of H.E. Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN in New York in the ECOSOC Operational Activities Segment – Dialogues with the RCs and UNCTS on 21 May 2020

I thank you Mr. President.

We welcome this opportunity for an exchange with the RCs and UNCTs at a time when Covid-19 is having devastating impacts on our lives and our economies. We commend the RCs and UNCTs who are at the frontline in managing the UN’s response and recovery efforts with timely measures and dedicated actions in the programme countries.

The ‘Reinvigorated RC System’ and the ‘New Generation Country Teams’ are at the centre of the ongoing UNDS reform. The Covid crisis is a testing time for the RCs and the Country Teams to see how far they have been able to address the crisis in the UN Development System in a coordinated, accountable, and predictable manner. A comprehensive interagency response is required to fulfill the objectives of the UN response and recovery funds fully, quickly and in a demand-based manner in the target countries.

For the fast recovery of our economies from the pandemic, we wish to see the RCs and the Country Teams enhance their engagement and coordination with other development partners and donors, international financial institutions, regional bodies, and the private sector to harmonize and stimulate their support to the vulnerable countries with innovative packages and financial instruments.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the RC and UNCT in Bangladesh for developing the Bangladesh Covid-19 Response Plan in consultation with the Government. While our Government has announced several stimulus and recovery packages, we hope that the Plan will complement the Government’s efforts and respond to our humanitarian needs as well as provide support for socio-economic recovery.

We also hope that the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework will align with the priorities set by our government; and the RC and UNCT would implement the Framework in consultation with the Government. Being a highly climate vulnerable country, I would request RC and UNCT in Bangladesh to continue to keep climate change as a priority in their works. And now more than ever, their support would be critical in achieving the SDGs which are under-served in terms of funding and other means of implementation dedicated to them.

We look forward to being supported by the RCs and UNCTs with a “whole-of-system” expertise. On our part, we shall remain a close partner of the UN’s efforts and programmes in Bangladesh.